As people become increasingly aware about where their food comes from and what it contains, more and more are opting to ditch animal-based ingredients and follow a plant-based diet instead. According to The Huffington Post, the number of vegans in the UK increased by 350% between 2006 and 2016. This means that more than 1% of the population now avoids meat and animal-based products altogether.

One of the first challenges that new vegans face is learning how to identify vegan-friendly products. Although meat-free foods are generally clearly labelled, the same can’t be said for cleaning products. To help ensure every aspect of your life is kind on nature, take a look at our guide to vegan-friendly sprays, polishes and disinfectants.

Common Non-Vegan Cleaning Ingredients

One of the key skills all vegans develop is the ability to quickly scan a list of ingredients and spot any non-vegan components. When looking at cleaning products, some of the most common animal derivatives you’ll see are caprylic acid, which is sourced from milk, tallow, which comes from rendered beef fat and oleyl alcohols which come from fish.

You may also see animal glycerol and steric acid, both of which are animal fats, and animal lecithin which is sourced from waxy nervous tissue. Beeswax is also commonly found in furniture polishes and can crop up in other cleaning products so make sure you keep your eyes peeled.

Sourcing Vegan-Friendly Cleaning Products

The easiest way to source good quality vegan-friendly cleaning products is to head online and visit one of the many specialist sites that sell animal and cruelty free sprays, polishes, soaps and disinfectants. There are now a number of brands that are dedicated to bringing high quality vegan products to the market and as more people become vegan, these will get even easier to find.

Even if a product doesn’t contain ingredients that are derived from animals, they may have been tested on animals. Look for the ‘Vegan Society Approved’ label or the ‘Cruelty Free International’ symbol. Both of these indicate that a product is free of animal derivatives and that it hasn’t been tested on any living creatures.

Make Your Own Vegan Cleaning Products

If you want to save money AND ensure all your cleaning products are 100% vegan, you’ll be pleased to hear that making your own cleaning sprays and potions is quick, easy and affordable. A mixture of vinegar, lemon juice and baking powder will help you get mirrors, windows and surfaces sparkling. Add a few drops of essential oil to mix to leave your home smelling sweet. As well as being vegan-friendly, these easy to source ingredients are kinder on the environment than standard cleaning solutions, helping you do your bit to make the world a little greener.

If you want to ensure every aspect of your life is vegan-friendly, sourcing cruelty free cleaning products or making your cleaning concoctions is a great place to start. Find out more about sprucing up your home by taking a look around the Twinkle Clean site.

About the Author

Robert is the Founder of Twinkle Clean. Twinkle Clean offer professional cleaning services to the domestic and commercial market throughout London.
His hobbies are cooking and listening to modern jazz music.